US man charged with trying to sell baby online

The man tried to sell the baby on Craigslist. File picture: Dan Phillips

ANGUS HOWARTH

A NEW York man has been arrested on charges that he offered to sell a woman’s two-month-old baby online for 100 dollars (£65).

Paul Marquez has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harassment, Staten Island prosecutors said.

Authorities say Marquez had been out with the baby’s mother a few times but felt she was not paying him enough attention. They say he was angry with her so he posted the adverts with photos of her daughter on the Craigslist website.

The mother notified police after she received a phone call from a person offering to buy the baby.

According to a criminal complaint, Marquez says he wanted to get back at the woman. He is being held in lieu of 1,000 dollars bail.